The Guide to the Protector (A HetaOni, 2ptalia and Female Reader Fanfiction)

|ChApTeR FoRtY| Belong

"You've been a big influence to us, (Name). A good one." Germany gave an affectionate pat of my forearm, blanketed by the warmth of my bedsheets. "We can't help but worry about you."

"Frau?"

"Hm?" My head snapped up and I instinctively moved to sit upright. "What's up, Prussia?"

"Relax, relax." All the albino had to do was give a light push of my shoulders and I fell back into my pillow. "Just wanted to check on you." A shrug of his shoulders, then came Prussia's famous smirk. "Rough day?"

"You could say that..." I found that the end of my sentence sounded more disappointed than it was meant to be. I was aware that he was trying to make a joke but a bit of exasperation and fatigue slipped into my voice. Without even noticing it, a tiny mob of thoughts began to beat desperately to try and slip through my weakened defenses as I chided myself, 'Why did you do that? You sound so tired and weak, get a grip! Keep it all to yourself, you're just trying too hard to get his attention.'

It hurt. It really did. It hurt way more than the pain wrapping around my stomach and back that was made thanks to the Oni; the barely noticeable stinging sensation that I had felt before was starting to grow, becoming a roar of discomfort and utter agony. 

The voice...was growing...

"Bella."

Then came the words of the one and only Romano. The memory came clearly, and I could almost picture it in my mind. The sentence rolled so effortlessly off his sharp, cold tongue, yet it still echoed with raw emotion and red fiery passion.

"Don't ever tell yourself, or let anyone tell you for that matter, that you can't let your walls down and be fragile for a little while."  

I breathed. Sometimes all you have to do is breathe. 

My grip on the spoon eased up on its own and I sat upright. I had been clutching the empty bowl once filled with soup. I scooped it into my palm and scooted to the edge of the bed, leaning down. My face drew closer and closer to the floor, the wood floor turning into a pitch black, spiraling swirl that looked like a girl. A girl with her mouth wide, taunting, eyes wide and bloodshot, always watching. 

"We can't do this without you, (Name)."  

Oh...that's right.

I slammed the bowl down onto the ground, covering the bottom half of the girl's face. 

If I can't deal with some lame demon, then who am I?

For a split second I was about to lose my balance, but I reached my hand out just in time. I pressed my fingertips to the ground, listening to the soothing essence of Spain's sincere words to lift me up from the brown cocoa colored tiles. Recovering from my bout of random anxiety, I stumbled backwards and dropped rather awkwardly into the comforting arms of my blankets.

"Frau??"

Thump, thump went my heart as it pulsed blood at an excruciatingly fast rate.

"What's wrong? What happened?!"

My palms were incredibly, uncomfortably sweaty, my lungs were closing up and-

His hands clamped firmly around my shoulders. He leaned in close to my face and stated,

"(Name)."

"...Prussia." It came out as a feeble whisper. That was all I could manage.

He whisked his red eyes towards the ground, dipping his head. I gazed silently at the crown of his snow white hair before he pulled away and asked me the dreaded question,